Discover Lanark

Discover Lanark aims to implement innovative projects and services through the creation of a Business Improvement District (BID). A BID is an initiative where businesses work in partnership with Local Authorities to develop their town. After our consultation phase, Discover Lanark will produce 5-year costed business plan setting out the projects and services put forward by the town’s businesses and organisations that the BID will implement.

Over 30 towns in Scotland have already created their Business Improvement Districts and another 15 are in the consultation phase, showing that BIDs are an established means for businesses and organisations to achieve their ambitions for their towns.

Before the BID is established, a year long consultation phase is carried out in which everyone on the Local Authority’s non-domestic rates register in that area will be consulted. A 5-year Business Plan is drawn up and distributed followed by a postal ballot. If the ballot approves the BID Business Plan, the BID is established as a legal entity with a duty to implement the plan.

The six-week ballot process to decide whether a BID should be established in Lanark concluded on Thursday 28th February 2019. The businesses of Lanark have voted Yes to implementing the proposals within the Business Plan put forward by the Discover Lanark Steering Group.

Lindsay Freeland, Returning Officer for the Discover Lanark Business Improvement District declared the following results:

Total ballot papers issued: 380

Total ballot papers returned: 208

Return rate: 55.26%

Aggregate rateable value of property from YES votes: £5,144,650

Aggregate rateable value of property from NO votes: £1,738,725

Discover Lanark Chair, Graeme McLeish commented; “We are delighted the businesses of Lanark have recognised the opportunities presented by the Discover Lanark BID. We now have a mandate to put in place a structured plan of action to make the improvements to trade and tourism Lanark so desperately needs. We urge all businesses to work together with the wider community to make Lanark a better place to live and work”